Heat dissipating apparatus

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipating apparatus includes an enclosure, a supporting frame attached in the enclosure, and a heat exchanger. The enclosure includes two opposite side plates, each of which defines at least one guiding groove. The heat exchanger is mounted to the supporting frame. The heat exchanger includes two opposite sidewalls and at least one positioning post protruding from each of the two sidewalls. Each of the at least one positioning posts is slidably received in, positioned by, and held captive in, one of the at least one guiding grooves.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from China Patent Application No. 201210126813.6, filed on Apr. 27, 2011 in the State Intellectual Property Office of China, the contents of the China Application are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to heat dissipating apparatuses, and particularly relates to a heat dissipating apparatus having at least one heat exchanger.

2. Description of Related Art

In a typical server system, multiple servers are densely arranged in a single cabinet. Each of the servers includes at least a power supply device, a motherboard, a central processing unit (CPU), a hard disk drive, and an optical disk drive, and thus considerable heat is generated during operation. Excess heat may cause deterioration in the operational stability of the servers and may damage the servers. Thus, excess heat must be removed quickly to maintain an acceptable operating temperature of the servers. One method for removing heat from the servers is by mounting one or more heat exchangers in the cabinet. However, the heat exchanger is often so heavy that it is difficult to install the heat exchanger precisely in the cabinet.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a heat dissipating apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a circled portion II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from a different aspect.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the heat dissipating apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but viewed from a different aspect.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 4, but view from another different aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”

FIGS. 1-3 show a heat dissipating apparatus 1 in accordance with an embodiment. The heat dissipating apparatus 1 includes an enclosure 10, two heat exchangers 20, a supporting plate 30, and a partition plate 50.

The enclosure 10 includes a bottom plate 11, two opposite side plates 13, a first beam 151, and a second beam 152. The bottom plate 11 is connected to the two side plates 13. The two side plates 13 are substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate 11 and parallel to each other. The first beam 151 is connected to respective right edges of the two side plates 13. The second beam 152 is connected to respective left edges of the two side plates 13. The first beam 151 and the second beam 152 are substantially perpendicular to the two side plates and parallel to each other. The bottom plate 11, the two side plates 13, the first beam 151, and the second beam 152 form a cuboid with an air inlet 19 and an air outlet 191.

In some embodiments, the enclosure 10 further includes a handle beam 16 connected to respective upper edges of the two side plates 13. The handle beam 16 is located in the middle of the top opening of the enclosure 10 to facilitate lifting and moving the enclosure 10.

A first supporting frame 17 and a second supporting frame 18 are attached to the bottom plate 11. The first supporting frame 17 and the second supporting frame 18 are inclined to the bottom plate 11 and parallel to each other. The first supporting frame 17 and the second supporting frame 18 are substantially perpendicular to the two side plates 13.

The first supporting frame 17 includes two opposite first rims 171. The two first rims 171 are secured to the two side plates 13. The second supporting frame 18 includes two opposite second rims 181. The two second rims 181 are secured to the two side plates 13. The first supporting frame 17 is located in a position higher than that of the second supporting frame 18.

The first beam 151 together with the right edge of the bottom plate 11, and the right edges of the two side plates 13, define an air inlet 19. The second beam 152 together with the right edge of the bottom plate 11, and the left edges of the two side plates 13, defines an air outlet 191.

Each of the two side plates 13 defines two securing holes 131. One of the two securing holes 131 is adjacent to the first supporting frame 17 and the other is adjacent to the second supporting frame 18. The first supporting frame 17 defines a first air opening 175. The second supporting frame 18 defines a second air opening 185.

The two heat exchangers 20 remove heat from a cabinet in which multiple servers are stacked. Each of the two heat exchangers 20 includes two opposite sidewalls 22.

A securing piece 21 is attached to an upper edge of each of the two sidewalls 22. The securing piece 21 defines a though hole 211.

Four positioning posts 221 protrude outwards from each of the two sidewalls 22. The four positioning posts 221 are in a trapezoidal arrangement. Each of the two side plates 13 defines eight spaced guiding grooves 132. The eight guiding grooves 132 are vertical, and parallel to each other, and of four different lengths. The grooves 132 are divided into two groups, each of which has four neighboring eight guiding grooves 132. Each of the eight guiding grooves 132 extends along a vertical direction and defines an upper opening.

The supporting plate 30 is substantially a rectangle in shape. Two shorter edges of the supporting plate 30 are secured to the two side plates 13. One of the two longer edges of the supporting plate 30 is connected to the first supporting frame 17 and the other is connected to the partition plate 50. The supporting plate 30 is substantially parallel to the bottom plate 11.

The partition plate 50 is substantially rectangular. Two shorter edges of the partition plate 50 are secured to the two side plates 13. One of the two longer edges of the partition plate 50 is connected to the supporting plate 30 and the other is connected to the second supporting frame 18. The partition plate 50 is inclined to the bottom plate 11.

Referring to FIGS. 4-6, in assembly, one of the two heat exchangers 20 is lifted above the first supporting frame 17. The four positioning posts 221 of each of the two sidewalls 22 of the heat exchanger 20 are aligned with the upper openings of the four guiding grooves 132 of each of the side plates 13. The heat exchanger 20 is lowered and each of the four positioning posts 221 is received in one of the four guiding grooves 132. The heat exchanger 20 continues dropping and each positioning post 221 slides down along a corresponding guiding groove 132, until the bottom surface of the heat exchanger 20 rests on the supporting plate 30 and the back surface of the heat exchanger 20 abuts the first supporting frame 17. The through hole 211 of the heat exchanger 20 is aligned with the securing hole 131 of the side plate 13. A screw 23 is threaded into the through hole 211 and the securing hole 131, thereby fixing the heat exchanger 20 in the enclosure 10.

The other of the two heat exchangers 20 is lifted above the second supporting frame 18. The four positioning posts 221 of each of the two sidewalls 22 of the heat exchanger 20 are aligned with the upper openings of the four guiding grooves 132 of each of the side plates 13. The heat exchanger 20 is lowered so that each of the four positioning posts 221 is received in one of the four guiding grooves 132. The heat exchanger 20 continues moving down and each positioning post 221 slides down a guiding groove 132, until the bottom surface of the heat exchanger 20 rests on the bottom plate 11 and the back surface of the heat exchanger 20 abuts the second supporting frame 18. The through hole 211 of the heat exchanger 20 is aligned with the securing hole 131 of the side plate 13. A screw 23 is threaded into the through hole 211 and the securing hole 131, thereby fixing the heat exchanger 20 in the enclosure 10. Thus, the two heat exchangers 20 are all secured in the enclosure 10 and one of them is in a position higher than that of the other.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat dissipating apparatus, comprising: an enclosure comprising two opposite side plates, each of the two opposite side plates defining at least one guiding groove; a supporting frame attached to the enclosure; a heat exchanger mounted to the supporting frame, the heat exchanger comprising two opposite sidewalls and at least one positioning post protruding outwards from each of the two opposite sidewalls, wherein each of the at least one positioning post is slidably received in one of the at least one guiding groove.
 2. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the enclosure further comprises a bottom plate perpendicular to the two opposite side plates, and the supporting frame is inclined to the bottom plate of the enclosure.
 3. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 2, wherein a bottom surface of the heat exchanger contacts with the bottom plate.
 4. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supporting frame defines an air opening.
 5. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one guiding groove extends along a vertical direction and defines an upper opening.
 6. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one positioning post comprises four positioning posts arranged in a trapezoidal area of each of the two sidewalls.
 7. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the two opposite side plates defines four guiding grooves parallel to each other.
 8. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the two opposite side plates further defines a securing hole, the heat exchanger further defines two through holes, the heat dissipating apparatus further comprises a screw threaded into each of the securing hole and a corresponding through hole thereby fixing the heat exchanger in the enclosure.
 9. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a securing piece attached to an upper edge of each of the two sidewalls, each securing piece defines one of the two through holes.
 10. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supporting frame is substantially perpendicular to the two opposite side plates of the enclosure.
 11. A heat dissipating apparatus, comprising: an enclosure includes two opposite side plates, each of the two opposite side plates defining at least two guiding grooves; two supporting frames attached in the enclosure; two heat exchangers received the enclosure, wherein each of the two heat exchangers is mounted to corresponding one of the two supporting frames, each of the two heat exchangers comprises two opposite sidewalls and at least one positioning post protruding outwards from each of the two sidewalls, wherein each of the at least one positioning post is slidably received in one of the at least two guiding grooves.
 12. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 11, wherein the enclosure further comprises a bottom plate perpendicular to the two opposite side plates, and each of the two supporting frames is inclined to the bottom plate of the enclosure.
 13. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a supporting plate located above the bottom plate, wherein two edges of the supporting plate are connected to the two opposite side plates, one of the two heat exchangers contacts with the bottom plate and the other of the two heat exchangers contacts with the supporting plate.
 14. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 13, wherein one of the two supporting frames is located in a position higher than that of the other of the two supporting frames.
 15. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the two supporting frames defines an air opening.
 16. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the at least two guiding grooves extends along a vertical direction and defines an upper opening.
 17. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one positioning post comprises four positioning posts arranged in a trapezoidal area of each of the two sidewalls.
 18. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 17, wherein each of the two opposite side plates defines two groups of four guiding grooves parallel to each other, each group of four guiding grooves corresponding to the four positioning posts of one of the two sidewalls.
 19. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the two opposite side plates further defines two securing hole, each of the two heat exchangers further defines two through holes, the heat dissipating apparatus further comprises a screw threaded into each of the two securing hole and a corresponding through hole thereby fixing each of the two heat exchangers in the enclosure.
 20. The heat dissipating apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the two heat exchangers further comprises a securing piece attached to an upper edge of each of the two sidewalls, each securing piece defines one of the two through holes. 